Recent Press Releases

Washington, DC —  Senator John Thune today announced the United States Department of Agriculture has approved a $307,831 Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant for the Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls.

"I'm pleased to announce this important funding that will increase access to quality health care for thousands of residents in rural South Dakota," Thune said.

The Avera McKennan Hospital will use this Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant to establish a remote-care Intensive Care Unit (ICU) strategy designed to improve ICU processes while maximizing scarce intensive resources. The system will utilize nurses stations with video-conferencing and additional telecommunications equipment linked to the ICU facilities, patient room monitors, cameras, and microphones, and a patient monitoring area at the hub site. The system will serve approximately 17,000 residents in rural South Dakota.